Large financial institutions such as banks may operate multiple banking centers. Customers of the bank may utilize the banking center to perform a variety of banking transactions. Banking transactions may include deposits, withdrawals, opening/closing accounts, mortgage services, credit card services or other suitable transactions.
A banking center may include multiple locations within the banking center where a customer may initiate a banking transaction. For example, the banking center may include automated teller machines (“ATMs”), teller stations and/or platform area stations. Initiating a banking transaction may include requesting performance of one or more services offered at a banking center.
Typically, each location within the banking center includes a dedicated device for performing different types of banking transactions. For example, each teller station may include a quick service terminal (“QST”), a check MICR/image scanner, a receipt/valuator printer, a cash dispenser/recycler and/or a branch printer/MICR printer. A QST may include may include a card reader, a numeric keypad, a biometric scanner or any other suitable device.
Purchasing and maintaining each dedicated device increases a cost of operating the banking center. The increased cost of the operating the banking center increases a cost of performing a banking transaction. It would be desirable to reduce costs associated with operating the banking center.
Additionally, a dedicated device may malfunction. In the event of a malfunction, the location associated with the dedicated device may be unable to perform banking transactions that require use of the dedicated device. For example, a currency dispenser within an ATM may malfunction. Until the malfunctioning currency dispenser is repaired the ATM may be unable to process currency withdrawal requests.
Furthermore, each location within the banking center that dispenses currency must be stocked with currency. The cost to stock each location within the banking center may further increase a cost of a banking transaction.
It would be desirable to provide a currency dispensing system that includes redundancy when a device malfunctions. It would further be desirable to provide a currency dispensing system that may be stocked with currency at a central location. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide apparatus and methods for a centralized currency delivery system.